1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to medication or supply dispenser stations for dispensing pharmaceutical and other supply items from locked storage in a hospital, nursing home or other environment where control of supply and inventory are of importance. More particularly, this invention pertains to a supply station having its own internal computer for controlling storage and dispensing of larger items that are not amenable to storage in conventional dispenser stations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dispensing items in a controlled fashion, including pharmaceutical items, one at a time, from locked storage under strict accountability and security environment is being practiced today. For instance, in many hospitals and nursing homes, medicines are now held under locked storage in medication dispenser stations, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,875, where nursing personnel retrieve the medicine from locked storage for dispensing, simultaneously and automatically updating the patient's records and billing. Large items, such as liter bottles of fluid, boxes of diapers, boxes of examination gloves, rolls of bandages, catheter sets and the like, are often too large to be dispensed from the patented dispensing station. Traditionally, they are stacked on open shelving where dust and dirt accumulate to interfere with the cleanliness of their use. Where they are housed in a protective layer, they are often stored on shelves over which other items are laid that have sharp corners, and are of such size and weight that the sterility seal is often compromised thereby requiring the item to be discarded without use. Moreover, these items are often stored in dark cabinets where they are soon forgotten or stored in cabinets where they are pushed out of the way during a search for other items. The end result is costly, out-of-control inventory management which adds to the expense of operation.
In addition, each hospital carries its own particular designation or stock number for dispensable items used therein. Quite often these hospital designations are different from the common name given to the item. Nursing and other technical personnel transferred from one hospital to another are frequently met with a confusing set of stock numbers and identifiers for particular items thereby providing the basis for over-ordering of some items and overlooking others. Further, these particular supplies are sometimes too bulky to be conveniently held in a small place thereby making it difficult to properly store them.
For instance, catheter units are comprised of elongated tubing that cannot be kinked or bent during storage. Without proper handling and storage, many of these items are folded over, bent or otherwise damaged so that they are no longer useful. Finally, and just as important, is the problem of putting these items to use without documentation so that they are not properly billed to the patient and their re-ordering is not closely controlled.
In our previous patent application, we disclosed and claimed an auxiliary storage and dispensing unit for use in combination with a separate computer-controlled supply and medication dispenser station where the station, a stand-alone unit, included a keyboard for inputting coded information concerning the particular dispensable items needed for a patient and information as to the party entering the information. These stand-alone units include drawers carrying small units of dispensable items, such as syringes, vials and the like. Industry acceptance of this combination has been strong. It has provided hospitals, nursing homes and other care facilities with a host of benefits.
For instance, inventory management has been greatly simplified. The invention has brought on an increase in security of high-cost items. Inventories are more accurately maintained. Floor-stock has been greatly reduced and re-stocking has been streamlined. Inventory "turns" have been increased thus insuring items being used prior to their expiration date and lack of items, i.e., "stockouts", have been reduced almost to the point of elimination.
There remains the need for a modular supply station configuration selectively employing an integrated computer controller within one of the stations. Depending on the particular requirements, a number of stations may be required to house the contents therein, however, one computer is sufficient to manage the entire complement of the stations. Such stations continue to require computer control to aid in overall management, such as to generate inventory reports automatically from one central location, and generate on-demand reports by patient, supply, nurse and nursing unit. However, the computer-controlled supply and medication dispenser station for dispensing syringes, vials and the like are not always needed.